Cottrellville seeking tax for fire services

Cottrellville Township voters will be asked to consider a new tax to cover fire protection services in the Nov. 7 election.

It’s a request that township officials said would help keep the township from draining its savings. Cottrellville now pays its share of services from the Marine City Area Fire Authority and Ira Township with its general fund.

The 0.8808 mill tax would raise $110,000 annually and cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $44 a year. The total raised is about what the township now pays for fire services.

What the township will do if the request is rejected is unclear. During a public hearing about the tax proposal earlier this week, Supervisor Mary Agnes Simons said the might have to turn to the state.

“When you get into problems and you can’t balance your books, you’re going to be out of money,” she later said. “We only have $219,000 to go forward into next year. That is what our budget is. So, if we take 100,000 out of that for two years, we’re out of money. I’m just trying to make it stand on its own. That doesn’t mean we’re going to go out and have a party with the rest of it.

“If we have an emergency, that is what the fund balance is for, but not to pay for department services.”

Tuesday marked the second hearing the township had on the matter in an effort to reach the public and share information about the request.

“We’re just trying to get the information out to people,” Simons said. “We’ve got a postcard going out, too, to all registered voters.”

One resident asked whether the township can still issue bills for fire and emergency runs as part of fire protection services.

“They’re going after this millage, and the problem with going after the millage is they’re going to be giving up the ability to recoup the costs from the taxpayers,” said Art Rochon. “Right now what happens is they state they have the ability to collect per run, things like that. When you do a millage, from what I’ve read, you can’t recoup at that point because you’re double billing. You have a line item at that point.”

Mike Selden, of the Michigan Township Association, however, said that isn’t entirely true — townships can charge for fire runs while also levying a tax or special assessment for fire services.

“They can only bill for it now if there’s a cost recovery ordinance in place,” he said.

China Township chose not to seek both revenue sources.

Supervisor Linda Schweihofer said they’ve been “very blessed” to have a fire-related tax — China Township is covered by the Marine City and St. Clair authorities — and over the years abandoned talk of additionally billing for runs.

“Because we have the millage, we have chosen not to bill our residents because they’re already paying,” she said. “They’re paying by way of their millage. There are communities, though, that have gone ahead.”

Simons said Cottrellville is still looking into whether to bill non-residents for runs. She said they do have the ordinance required in place.

According to the ballot language, the requested tax would be levied for four years and can be used only for fire protection services.

Marine City Fire Chief Joe Slankster said his department averages 170 calls a year to Cottrellville. The department has a three-year contract with the township, whichs pays about 28 percent of the department budget.

Simons said she believed the flat fee in its contract with Ira is $3,600. More information wasn’t immediately available at the end of last week.

Those looking for more information can call the township at (810) 765-4730. Township hall is located at 7008 Marsh Road and is open 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays through Thursdays and until 5 p.m. Mondays.